Treading Carefully Birds and Access Land in the North Pennines

The North Pennines is Wild and Natural! The North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) one of England’s most In the North Pennines you’ll find: 40% of the UK’s upland hay meadows • 30% of England’s upland is England’s upland bird hot spot! heathland and 20% of its blanket bog • 80% of England’s black grouse Treading Particularly during the breeding special places – a wild, • 36% of the AONB designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest • unspoilt landscape with Red squirrels, otters and rare arctic alpine plants • 22,000 pairs of season, from March to July inclusive, breeding wading birds. you can enjoy some of the area’s Carefully a rich history and A UNESCO Global special ground nesting birds and help Birds and Access Land vibrant natural beauty. Geopark to look after them at the same time. in the North Pennines It was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) The impressive shapes and forms the land takes in the North Pennines, in 1988.Tumbling waterfalls, sweeping moorland views, dramatic from High Force on the River Tees to the sweeping U-shaped valley of dales, stone-built villages, snaking stonewalls and friendly faces – High Cup Gill above Dufton, are the product of millions of years of the North Pennines has all this and more! geological processes. The worldwide significance of the geology found here is recognised by the fact that the North Pennines AONB is Britain’s first European Geopark Please: and a founding member of the UNESCO Global • Keep dogs and birds apart! Birds see dogs as a threat. Geoparks Network. The evasive action they take can leave eggs and chicks vulnerable to cold and predators. Where dogs are allowed on access land, If you want to find out more: please keep them on a short lead. • There’s an attractive leaflet on open • Keep to tracks and paths, particularly if you’re going through access in the AONB, with some suggested dense heather. routes through open country. • Give a wide berth to young birds and to adults that • The AONB Partnership’s book appear distressed. Move away quickly and quietly. ‘Birdwatching in the North Pennines There are approximately 1000 square miles of ‘access land’ Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, in the North Pennines AONB, more than any other protected will help you to explore the area and landscape in England and Wales. Look out for this access discover some of its special birds. symbol which shows where land is open for public access on • Both are available from local Tourist foot, though sometimes subject to restrictions. Before leaving, find out Information Centres or by contacting if there are any current restrictions on the access land you intend to the North Pennines AONB Partnership visit, by: on 01388 528801 or • contacting the relevant County Council, (Cumbria, [email protected] Durham or Northumberland) • calling the Access Helpline (0845 100 3298) • Visit www.northpennines.org.uk • or visiting www.countrysideaccess.gov.uk Produced by on behalf of Photography: Charlie Hedley © Countryside Agency Illustrations: Birds, Mike Langman Cover, Simon Wilson/NPAP Treading Carefully Birds and Access Land in the North Pennines Day-flying, with stiff, slow wing-beats. Often sits on fence posts. Round Bill as long as face with fierce, body. Found on moors piercing eyes. and wet fields. Often stands on walls or posts. Strange Large, sturdy whirring sound (‘drumming’) made bird with strong, fast flight. by tail feathers as it flies up and All black male has characteristic plunges down. Tumbling flight on black and white ‘floppy’ lyre-shaped tail and white ‘bar’ wings. Tilts forward when feeding. Prominent on wings. Found on moorland crest ‘Pee-wit’ call. Almost always on the edge and upland fields. ground or in the air, rarely on posts or walls. 80% of the Often perches on posts and English walls calling loudly. Orange- population red legs (‘shanks)’. is found here. Generally seen flying away, showing prominent white ‘bar’ along wing edge Often heard but not seen, Piping call. hovering high above singing continuously. Found on upland grassland. Short crest. Small, dashing falcon with quick wing beats. Hunts Long, bright larks and pipits in twisting flight. Perches on red bill. Fast, direct rocks and on ground. Call ‘wik, wik, flight, with wings wik, key, key, key’ held low. Loud ‘peep peep’ call. Found on moors and upland grassland. Small, streaky bird. Short flights between Often stands on a small mound, alert patches of vegetation. Often perches on to danger. Liquid ‘pyou’ call. Fast walls. Common on moors and rough flight with regular wing beats. Largest wader of our grazing. Calls ‘seet, seet, moors. Long, down-curved bill. seet’ and ‘pip-it’. Wild, bubbling call. Heavy, but Low, fast flight with quick bursts strong flight on long wings. When and glides. Explosive ‘go-back, displaying, often soar with their go back’ call. Always in or wings arched, almost near heather. ‘aeroplane-like.’ (Birds not to scale).

Load more